Sonic Trainers
by Lucariogal
Summary: Woder what would be the life of Sonic team like pokemon trainers? Everyone can live in peace until evil hands try to take the ultimate power of pokemon. Follow Sonic and his new and old friends, eachone with it's own legendary adventure until this ultimate power is unleashed in the wrongs hands and maybe, this time Sonic will be just too late.
1. Sonic and the Eon Speed

Mobius… It just doesn't has living forms as Sonic and team but also (In this story, at least) wonderful creatures known as pokemon. As it was known, that everyone had at least one pokemon as friend, working mate, and partner. Everyone and still one exception. The famous blue burr everybody knows as Sonic. Sonic was kind of stubborn about picking his first pokemon, he wanted that special pokemon who catches his attention at first and of course, that he could actually feel bonded but finding the pokemon was harder than he would ever expected and it was taking too much time for him. Even Eggman had already his pokemon who which he has actually bonded, which was even weirder.

Sonic was in his daily running, this time in far away mountains. Away from the noises of the big city, his common battles, and Amy. He could do something he normally couldn't; relax. Just laying down by the flowers and watching the pure white clouds pass by was perfect. Still, Sonic was born with a special talent of attracting adventure. It didn't pass too long when something that went, even maybe faster than super-sonic speed, passed just in front of him. Sonic stood up and followed that mystery figure. "It isn't going to!" He thought as he ran trying to catch up with it. This was seriously a worthy speed rival and Sonic being himself, couldn't resist a good challenge at all.

When Sonic got just besides it, he noticed it was actually a flying pokemon, as blue as him and when the pokemon turned to see the one who was chasing him, in its red eyes, Sonic saw something special. Was this the pokemon Sonic have been searching for so long? Maybe but this pokemon would be hard to chase. It changed directions very frequently like if it wanted to lose Sonic and of course was very fast. Indeed a worthy pokemon for the fastest thing alive but Sonic wasn't thinking on that. But he was enjoying it! He ran with someone, or something and it was better than racing with Shadow!

Suddenly the pokemon stopped just in a grassy meadow with some spread flowers. "What do you want?" The blue pokemon asked. "Oh, so you can talk" Sonic said ignoring a bit the pokemon's question. "Well, actually it is telepathy but I still can understand your language. Ok, could you please answer my question?" "Oh, of course. I just wanted to race." Sonic answered. "Just a race?" The pokemon asked. Sonic nodded. "Is there a problem with that?" he asked. "No, I just thought you wanted to harm me or something, that's why I tried to lose you but suddenly I realized you weren't bad. How? Just the soul of a Latios could know" The pokemon said. "So it must be a Latios" Sonic thought to himself, still, he have never seen or heard about such pokemon.

"So, are you racing or not?" Sonic finally said. Latios smiled but his smiled suddenly disappeared. "I'm not sure… I'm actually supposed to be patrolling these areas right now." Latios answered. "Ok, don't worry about it, we can race if you want other day that you aren't busy" Sonic said and started heading home. "No!" Sonic turned a bit confused. Wasn't Latios busy? Latios continued. "Well, if you want you can come with me, we could have our race and watch better the zone" Latios proposed. Sonic smiled at the idea. "Sounds like a good idea to me" Sonic said and both of them started an amazingly fast race with the mountain as track and the wind at their side.

They looked over the meadows and everything. Everything looked alright. Finally they got to a small lake that was the resting spot of Latios before the last place to check out. Latios was ashore drinking some water and Sonic found out some berry bushes, so he picked some and then went to sit next to Latios. "I have to admit that you are really fast, Latios" Sonic said while placing the berries he picked up next to Latios. He might be hungry. Sonic didn't leave one for him because he actually wasn't sure if he could eat those kinds of berries. Instead, Sonic found one or two apples for him. "Umm… Thanks" Latios said shyly and started to eat slowly the berries Sonic left for him. Then Sonic tried to pet Latios in his head but Latios just looked away. The true was that Latios wasn't costume to contact with life-forms as Sonic, so Latios wasn't sure about trusting at all.

"So, where are we going now?" Sonic asked trying to change subject. "Just look at the taller part of the mountain and you would know" Lastios answered and continued drinking water. Sonic looked behind him to behold the rest of the mountain, which was just rocks at all but a medium sized forest located in the middle. He raised an eyebrow. "But what is doing that there?" "It's named the 'Exile Forest' and I beat you can guess why. Still, most of the pokemon from the area I patrol, live there" Latios answered right away. Then Sonic turned to Latios. "Bu-" Suddenly Sonic was interrupted by a great sound and then an earthquake. "What the hell!?" Then both Sonic and Latios looked up toward the Exile Forest, where the sound came from, burning! They hurried to the forest but they had to be more than superfast, since the fire was expanding also a great speed.

The heat could be felt many meters away and the sky started to fill with dark smoke. Some pokemon were getting out but were many few compared on what Latios knew what lived there. "We need to extinguish the fire fast!" Sonic gave his 'idea'. "There's no time! Many pokemon will die in seconds! Look, I will try to slow the fire and you have to take out all the pokemon!" Latios said and Sonic nodded. How would him argue in such situation and then, what other idea could he have?

While Latios got in middle of the fire, he used many moves to try to slow down or even stop the fire in some parts. He used a combination of gust and water pulse but even if he used water pulse, the flames were enough blazing as for making the water evaporate and if the fire got off, the fire was there again in no time. Meanwhile, Sonic got some nesting Pidoves in the safe of the stone just out of the forest with the other pokemon, he returned and found some crying Sunkerns and did so with other many pokemon at his common but still amazing super-sonic speed. Just a blue spot could be seen entering out and in, out and in from the infernal show that was taking place in the forest. In some time there were no more pokemon cries that could be heard. Still, Sonic knew that there was still a pokemon left.

The forest was about to collapse all over and Latios felt more relief when he couldn't hear any more pokemon and he was running out of time. Or he got out now or he would die burned and crushed by the falling blazing trees. Still, he was up to make one more check out. For being sure everyone was safe and Latios trusted that his speed would help him get out just in time and alive. He didn't see nor would expect the tree that felled over him. Even though, he was still alive, he got weak and hurt. He tried to get himself free but when another tree almost felled over him, he started to see the reality. He got hurt and could hardly move the trunk, then all the collapsing forest was over him, and even if he could get free; his wounds wouldn't let him get out alive. Latios finally got his head down in acceptance of his own dead, a painful and slow dead since he was half Dragon-type and a bit more resistant to fire. At least he would die in a noble act.

"Don't give up, bud!" Latios heard the familiar voice. He looked up to see Sonic pushing the trunk. "What are you doing!? Get out of here or we both will die!" Latios demanded. "No, I won't leave you behind! Besides, you told me I must save all pokemon. And there's just one left! Don't give up!" When Latios saw Sonic's arms and hands were red as fire because they were burning as pushing a blazing trunk just for setting him free; in the mind and heart of Latios, a light of hope and a wish to live turned on. It was amazing for him that a total estranger was giving his life for saving him. And Latios didn't trust this estranger like an hour before the fire began.

Latios used all his remaining force to help Sonic to remove the trunk over him. The forest's trees were starting to fall all over them when Latios could finally get free. Now it was the survival race evading the trees out to the rock place. Life or dead; just nanoseconds from difference. The exit they have eyed was blocked at last second, and fortunately there was one just when they turned. But the wounds of Latios made him lose speed. Sonic notice something was wrong with Latios and when he looked back and Latios looked at Sonic´s green eyes, the world seemed to almost stop. Then Latios relooked at Sonic's burned arms. "All what he suffered for me" The thought got in the mind of Latios. "I won't die!" He yelled and got a sudden outburst after the thought that he couldn't let Sonic's sacrifice be in vain.

Both of them ran at full speed and maybe even more cause of the pressure. The falling trees where just rubbing their heads just when they were about to get out. A cheering pokemon crowd was yelling jolly at their two heroes that could get out alive. Latios and Sonic looked at each other with a wide smile. "That was really close" Sonic said. "But we did it!" Latios said and then both of then kind of fainted due the wounds and that mostly, they got exhausted.

The pokemon near them went to help them. That same day, near twilight, when Sonic and Latios felt better and the fire had finally vanquished, they went to investigate the fire's cause. Sonic had some bandages made of medical leaves on his arms and Latios also have but mostly in his wings. "I think that short of explosion had something to do with it." Sonic said. "Yes, but where, how and why?" Latios asked while levitating over the ashes. Suddenly they spotted a big cave which entrance was surely blew up, and Sonic didn't deduced that with just seeing the rock but he also found a piece of metal with Eggman's logo on it near the entrance and covered by some ashes. "Eggman. On what is he now?" Sonic asked to himself as he picked up the piece of metal. "Latios, do you know what´s in this cave?" Sonic asked. "I think so but I'm not sure" Latios answered and went inside, Sonic followed and noticed that in the end of it, there was a painting of some pokemon and an empty dusty box. "The tablet! It's not here!" Latios yelled.

"Tablet? What tablet?" Sonic asked a bit confused. "The tablet of truth! It tells all the story of time and space." Latios said kind of freaking out. Indeed it has to be an important tablet. "Don't worry, Latios, I know we will recover it" Sonic said. "We? But Sonic, you don't have to help anymore" Latios exclaimed. "I don't mind, besides, friends help each other, don't they?" Latios haven't thought on it. Maybe he was already bonded with Sonic somehow and he hasn't noticed. "Ok, but just if you take me with you" Latios said and Sonic actually looked kind of surprised. "You want to be my pokemon?" Sonic asked. Latios nodded. "But what about them?" Sonic asked while pointing the pokemon that were by the lake who were the pokemon that once lived in the forest.

Latios looked at those pokemon, playing, having fun, and leaving together in peace. "They don't need me anymore and now I have no other place to go" He said. Sonic give him a pad on Latios back. "Then, welcome to the team buddy!" Then they looked at each other and, like if they could read each other minds, they started another race. After some time competing, Latios flew near Sonic. "Come up" He said. Sonic smirked and jumped over Latios. "Wooohhhooooo!" Sonic yelled with excitement as he and his first pokemon flew at amazing speed at time of twilight.


	2. Shadow and his Group of Misunderstood

It's been a week since Sonic came back with not just his first pokemon but also an unusually legendary pokemon that attracted the attention of many people, mostly by a special fact. Ok, a normal Latios can be very fast but that one was unusually fast. It could reach Sonic and even Shadow. Of course Shadow didn't care. He saw all the pokemon just like in a same way. Creatures he had to share the world with. Even though, there was one pokemon that was always at his side and Shadow cared and loved that pokemon and that pokemon also loved Shadow back, all in an emotionless looking way. The most alike thing on them was that both were misunderstood by the others.

Shadow walked in the city at night with his partner pokemon just besides him. Lampents have always liked the night because of its darkness to show their shine and with that, represent themselves. Misslu always felt grateful toward Shadow for it and so many other things. Since this Lampent hatched as a Litwick, he brought bad luck and that's why it's named Misslu, from Missing Luck. His bad luck caused the entire group, including Litwicks, Lampents, and the few Chandelures to hate him. They said Misslu's egg was cursed since the start and the elderly of the Chandelures threatened of eating this pokemon's soul to finish the curse once and for all. Just his mom, a recently evolved Chandelure, defended him in that miserable day she fought against all the clan to protect her son. "Run!" was the last thing Misslu heard from his mom and started to run for his life. He just looked back once and just contemplated the death of his mom before part of his soul and heart escaped in a waterfall of tears through his eyes.

Finally he got to a far away forest but also there all the pokemon seemed to hate him but not as his clan used to. Then he evolved at thought learning and alone. Been evolved just didn't make him stronger but also with worst bad luck! Many pokemon were getting hurt and losing their stuff in many stupid ways when he was near. And then, all the pokemon of the forest started considered him a threat. It all happened the same way as that old mansion he used to live but this time, he was alone. Thought, he could escape that one too. So, now he was even more homeless and his last option was the big city not very far away. Living afraid of any living form and harming them, he keep hiding in a dark ally in a lonely part of the city and just getting out at night for searching food. Misslu's mind was very confused and his heart all broken up. Would all his life be just for suffering and being hated by every pokemon or person it gets near him? Misslu have even thought once on drawing himself on the draining to stop making bad things unwittingly, being alone, unhappy and hated, and even to get again with his mom. But his mom died instead of him! Misslu knew she wouldn't like him to die, less that way. Then how would he die? As a Lampent all alone in a corner of the dark alley?

One day, Misslu was sleeping and hungry on the floor of his ally waiting desperately for the next night since he couldn't get something to eat last night. Suddenly he felt someone else's presence near. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed a black figure was standing just in front of him. He didn't get surprised but the thing that most called his attention was that this person's hand was made up in a fit. Maybe this black guy would harm him but Misslu didn't care, he just closed his eyes, waiting for the guy to strike.

Shadow had noticed something weird about that Lampent he had in front. It didn't even look up. He kneeled down and noticed this pokemon was in some short of trance and it suddenly woke up. The Lampent still looked sleepy but looked straight in Shadow's eyes. Both of them saw something familiar in each other. Then, the Lampent looked at Shadow's hand that was still made up in a fit but when he looked closely, Misslu noticed he was actually holding a berry. Shadow forgot where he got that and even how much time he had been holding it but offered it to that Lampent.

This Lampent looked at him again and even though it didn't say a thing and Shadow was continent that he didn't speak pokemon, he read this question in this pokemon's eyes: "Really?" As soon as Shadow nodded, the Lampent had the berry on his hands and soon on his mouth. The Lampent smiled widely to show Shadow how grateful he felt. Shadow smiled back a bit but suddenly a brick felled over his head breaking the brick on two. Shadow looked up rubbing his head, hopping to see the one who threw that but there was no one there. Maybe it was just a misplaced brick.

Misslu looked down. Now the only living thing that had been nice with him would hate him. Oh, he felt so sorry for that! "Pent, Lampent lamp!" Were the only that Shadow could just hear from that Lampent, but he understood what it meant. Shadow put softly his hand on that Lampent that looked up and also looked like it was about to start crying. Misslu, just when he looked at those red eyes, he knew that hedgehog had forgiven him. Been forgiven for first time; that almost made Misslu cry again.

Misslu suddenly wrapped his long arms in Shadow's arm with a wider smile. Misslu and Shadow seemed to understand what each other meant with just looking at each other, because Shadow looked oddly at Misslu like saying: "What are you doing?" And Misslu looked back with some short of puppy eyes trying Shadow to get a: "Can I go with you?" Shadow shrugged and started walking home while Misslu was still holding Shadow from his arm. Shadow actually liked to be accompanied by this Lampent and Misslu felt glad to find someone that didn't hate him for his bad luck attraction.

Years passed and their bond grew bigger and bigger. Even with their special way of communicating Shadow even got what was the real name of the Lampent and even what happened with his mom and clan and of course Misslu got to know about Maria and all about Shadow, they were so open to each other. But now they were heading to Misslu's favorite pokepark at the central area of the city. Of course, everything was better at night, when streets were all alone.

Some streets remaining to get there, a signal appeared. "Closed path" could be read. Shadow tried to recognize what was behind the signal as for blocking the path but it was useless, it was too dark. Though, Misslu knew what Shadow wanted and he also felt curious, so he flew a bit forward and upper to provide light. Shadow raised his head as Misslu got closer and it turned out to be like two fallen huge buildings. The piled debris was higher than Shadow expected, not even Misslu could get to illuminate the top. When Misslu got down, next to Shadow, he looked at him asking with his eyes: "What do we do now?" Shadow knew they couldn't go on top of the debris and even if he cloud make his way through the debris, he couldn't leave Misslu behind and he didn't brought his Chaos Emerald, so the only other option he had was to take other way, of course a longer way but they could still get there and Misslu could have enough time to play.

What a bad luck! Still, Shadow never thought Misslu was a bad luck magnet, he just thought Misslu could be clumsy. The parts of the city they were going through looked very old and desolated, in their way, Shadow stopped once before an old and dead looking tree felled in front of them, then walked a step to his right just a second before an invisible leak in the floor let boiling water out from the floor in a way it looked like a geyser. Well, if Misslu really attracted some bad luck, with all their time together, Shadow adapted a new ability, one for predicting the unpredictable.

Suddenly, Misslu stopped and took a big black square object that was over a trashcan, it was surprisingly heavy. "What are you doing?" Shadow asked. Misslu just seemed to focus on the box but suddenly, the box's weigh win Misslu, he crashed to the floor and for some reason made a hole in it which Misslu felled on. Instantly, Shadow jumped in it and plummeted until he reached and grabbed Misslu. They continued falling for ten seconds more and then Shadow landed perfectly. The black box was now broken in front of them and it was full of Rage Candy Bars, Misslu's favorites! He jumped from Shadow's arms happily, got to the bars, opened one, and took a bite. "Lamp!" He said as he spitted out the entire bar. "Rotten?" Shadow asked. "Pent." Misslu answered with disappointment. So, Shadow gave one of those Rage Candy Bars he was holding for Misslu. When Misslu finally finished his precious candy bar, he got on Shadow's shoulder as he was costumed, with one of his arms wrapped on Shadow's arm and the other, almost all around Shadow's neck.

Now the deal was: Where were they and how to get out? Shadow looked up to see the hole they felled from. Just as he thought, too high. So he looked around. That was weird, it certainly wasn't the draining, it was too deep, bigger, and had a lot of vegetation as for being the draining. Suddenly Shadow felt something, yeah, something was coming. So he moved some steps backward and then a great group of Whirlipedes and then three Scolipedes passed just where they were standing. Shadow and Misslu watched as the great group of pokemon passed by and after they were gone, a new path was revealed.

Shadow and Misslu looked at each other and continued the way. Maybe, with some luck, they would find out a way out. They walked down a grassy path until they finally got to a city, with very old tall looking buildings wrapped in vines. "So, there was a city under the city after all." Shadow said, mostly to himself. He actually has been hearing rumors lately about a city under the actual city. This city, as Shadow has heard, was sealed down by an ancient hero of red strait long quills who posed a great power of chaos and sealed with the old city, a powerful dark monster whose magic caused fear in the people. This warrior came in pledge of the people and after battling the indeed powerful monster, he realized that the monster was immortal and needed an especial cell, since its magic let it go anywhere. So, using his great power over chaos, the hero buried the old city sealing in it some unfortunate pokemon and the monster. The people finally lived in peace and remake the city over the old one.

Like if Shadow was to believe that stuff. Well, maybe he was at this 'underground' city but like if there were such monster, and even if it were, The Ultimate lifeform didn't fear it. "But what about Misslu?" Shadow thought as he walked through an alley to the center of the city with Misslu still in his shoulder. Misslu, felt something on Shadow and tried to see what was it in shadow's eyes but he turned away. Shadow didn't want Misslu to know what he was thinking. Always, Misslu wanted to be a worthy pokemon for Shadow, for thanking him everything he has been for him, that in resume, it would be the best friend ever, but if Misslu felt worthless, then he would do something stupid and painful, just to try to prove he was as strong as his trainer. So Shadow always tried to express everything to Misslu but worry about him and actually, he couldn't get mad at him.

So, they got to the central part of the city, or at least that's what they guessed, that place was so weird but there were pokemon playing on the streets, and they actually looked like normal people in their own business. Though some of them glared oddly at Shadow and Misslu as they walked down the street, Shadow could tell Misslu was nervous.

Just from a sudden, all pokemon were hiding and a second later, they were all gone and just Shadow and Misslu were left on the street. Oh, but that wasn't true. Something was coming front, something dark….

"Maybe a pokemon" Shadow thought as he saw the black floating figure with white long hair that covered one of its two blue eyes and a scarf looking thing that covered most of its face. It was getting closer and closer and when it got just besides Shadow and Misslu, he stopped and turned to see them. No one said a word, they just glared. Shadow and Misslu were most likely waiting for the pokemon to go first. Shadow could tell there was something on that pokemon, he didn't know what but there was something. Finally the pokemon turned to its way and continued, so did Shadow and Misslu.

While going down the street in the opposite direction from where the black hedgehog and the Lampent where heading, Darkrai felt confused. Why didn't they were afraid of him? Suddenly Darkrai felt a hard hit of something hard, a rock, on the back of his head. Oh, now it was clear to Darkrai the intentions of these estrangers. They wanted to humiliate him! (Actually a rock felled from the roof)

"You…" Darkrai said, stopping and didn't turned back, his voice was a bit spooky but deep. Shadow stopped and both he and Misslu looked back. "How you dare?!" Darkrai yelled with rage and went directly to them at great speed, ready to attack. Misslu jumped from Shadow's shoulder and he too wanted to fight, suddenly he was covered in flames from a Flame Charge attack. They were about to crash when Darkrai suddenly disappeared and appeared just besides Misslu and hit him. Misslu flew up and crashed on the floor, just in front of Shadow, unconscious but struggling. "Misslu… Misslu!" shadow kneeled besides his pokemon and tried to wake it up but it seemed useless. Misslu continued looking unconscious and struggling. Shadow saw Darkrai, and with his commonly emotionless eyes that were now full of rage and hate, could see some evil, proud, and challenge in the eye of Darkrai.

"You are going to regret that!" Shadow yelled as he stood up. "Bring it on then!" It wasn't necessary for Shadow to get the words of Darkrai by hearing him; he could perfectly read that on its eye. So Shadow attacked first by trying to punch it, but Darkrai evaded; he also was fast. Shadow tried to hit him again but Darkrai disappeared and reappeared just behind and hit Shadow in the back. "Coward" Shadow said as he stood up. Darkrai got mad and sent to Shadow a powerful Focus Blast attack. Shadow managed to evade it by jumping, but a bit late, the inertia made him lose control in the air. Darkrai took the chance. He released his power in a Dark Pulse which hit Shadow and then another Focus Blast. The power of Darkrai was so great that Shadow flew backwards and got through an entire building and ended in the other street. Darkrai believed himself the winner and just went to see if his victim still was alive. For his and the pokemon that were watching the battle in their hiding spots surprise, it was still breathing. "Is that the best you can do?" Shadow asked as he started standing up again, slowly. But this time Darkrai became furious. Before Shadow could stand at all, Darkrai held his arms up, his eye started to glow and a huge dark circle formed around Shadow and started to suck him. "You shall never see light again!" Darkrai yelled.

"Darn it!" Shadow thought as he struggled, trying to get free but the more he struggled, the fastest he was been suck. He realized that when his legs were already covered and his waist was starting to. He looked around in desperation of finding another way of getting out but he just could see Darkrai, who enjoyed Shadow's panic. Suddenly Shadow's mind was lighted with an idea, if Darkrai stop focusing on keeping the sucking hole, Shadow would break free. So he focused on making a chaos spear. He just had one shot, since the more energy he added to the spear, the faster he was sucked, and just from the upper part of his chest was uncovered. Darkrai's eye wide open, as he behold Shadow's power and everything happened so fast, that Darkrai just made it to avoid it, he was freezed in shock. So the Dark Void closed, just when it was about to be too late. Shadow was back on the ground, and without losing time, he stood up and took advantage of Darkrai's shock and attacked him, right on the pokemon's stomach.

That was a hard hit for Darkrai, he had never battle against such strong opponent, not even the hero who sealed him away so much long ago. But it wasn't enough for defeating Darkrai, who was more than upset and both him and Shadow gave a harsh battle for several minutes. Finally when Shadow was about to hit Darkrai with a kick in middle in the air, Darkrai diverted the kick with his arm, giving him a chance, he use it and made a quick attack, slashing Shadow's chest. Shadow felled on the ground, stood up, feeling pain in his chest as he turned to see, his white chest fur, getting red as his eyes while Darkrai was behind him, now feeling confident from feeling his enemy's blood getting down his arm. The drops where slowly dropping to the floor while Darkrai kept his hand near his face, beholding the blood. Now he was sure Shadow was dead and continued his way without making sure of his thought but he didn't had a doubt but he was wrong, maybe he thought Shadow was a common hedgehog, but Shadow was the ultimate life form! Shadow was mad, mad not only of what Darkrai made to Misslu but now also because of how superior he acted and what he had done to him. Shadow would put a price on his own blood and Darkrai would be the one paying that price.

Shadow focused on a powerful Chaos Spear while Darkrai continued his way, looking confident and victorious, and when he less expected a powerful energy hit him, continued of powerful kicks and punches. Darkrai was been punished in the worst way, worst than the seal the hero of ancient times put on him, and it was so fast that Darkrai not even had time to protect himself in anytime. Shadow give a final hit and Darkrai felled on the ground, fainted. Shadow wouldn't have mercy on Darkrai but Darkrai woke up a bit and weakly looked at Shadow. It was his end but he had no other option, he turned in a shadow, just as Lashyre (My main OC) does and went away, deeper in a more forest looking part of the city. Shadow would have gone behind Darkrai, for getting him over, but he had something more important to care of. But when he turned around, for going to see how Misslu was, the street was filled from the nothing with pokemon, who were glaring Shadow with admiration and he glared back but oddly, and again from a sudden, they started cheering him. But he didn't care, he had to get with Misslu, so he made his way to Misslu without hurting the pokemon that were now following him. "What do they want?" Shadow thought on his way.

When he got besides Misslu, he still was struggling and unconscious. But what could he do now? Darkrai was already defeated. Shadow kneeled besides his pokemon as he looked, with worried eyes how his best friend suffered in a nightmare. Soon all the pokemon that where glaring their hero, Shadow, got around him and Misslu. Shadow wasn't sure what the pokemon wanted or even why they were there so interest I him. Then a Growlithe got close to Misslu, caring on its mouth a yellow feather that looked like a half-moon. It got the feather near Misslu's face and from the sudden, Misslu woke up, still terrified from its nightmare, but calmed down when he saw Shadow, he was ok, but what happened with the other dark pokemon who tried to harm them? Shadow saw the confusion in Misslu but he would explain everything later.

All the pokemon around theme tried to say something to Shadow, some were smiling to him and all but Shadow never got what they were trying to say, so he looked at Misslu, who seemed even more confused. Suddenly, Shadow felt that, that feeling that tells him something was about to happen when Misslu was near. He took a step backward and extended his arms, as his instinct told him, and from a sudden a Starly felled on his arms, a bit knocked. Still, it stood up quickly and rubbed its head. "Star!" It said when it saw Shadow saved its life and went of flying, leaving a feather behind, that slowly flew to the Growlithe's nose and tickled there, making the Growlithe sneeze and burn up their only Lunar Wing the pokemon of the underground city had for waking the pokemon under Darkrai's nightmare. There was an awkward silence as the wild pokemon glared the ashes of the Lunar Wing and then they glared at Misslu. Everyone there knew about Lampents as bad luck charms. Misslu looked totally in panic; he imagined his future, all the pokemon would soon try to get rid of him. But Shadow saw the panic and the thoughts of his pokemon, so he picked Misslu in his arms, so he could feel safer.

Now, they should get out of there, and so Shadow continued walking down the street with Misslu in his arms, feeling comfortable, while the pokemon stood glaring how their hero walked away in the awkward silence. They didn't understand how such a powerful being could care about such a trouble magnet. Then they preferred to stay away from such pokemon, than to stay with their hero.

Neither Shadow nor Misslu looked back when they were about to enter a dense part of the city, full of bushes and trees. After sometime, they found the limits; it was a great wall that indicated that the way was over. Shadow wasn't expecting to find that but he had no option, he had to turn the wall down, destroy it, set themselves free. So he tried to use all of his power to break the wall, but it didn't matter what he do, it was less than useless. "We should go and search other spot" Shadow said to Misslu, a bit disappointed, but Misslu nodded and tried to cheer him up, and both went to search another exit.

They were walking near a more populated zone when they started to hear a low moan. Misslu jumped from Shadow's arms and started searching the source of the moaning, and Shadow just followed him. In sometime Misslu found some short of garage, an ancient one. Inside, inside there was no other than Darkrai. He notice he had visits, that was weird for him, and didn't got surprised at all when he saw it was the hedgehog and the Lampent, but he didn't felt for another battle, at least not that same night but he wanted Shadow to pay, pay for what he have done to him earlier.

Outside, Misslu looked at Darkria with shame. He remembered so much when he used to live in the corner of that dark alley, before he meet Shadow; sad, lonely and in pain from many points of view. He tried to enter, try to get closer to Darkrai but Shadow stopped him, so Misslu talked from outside. "Lam lampent?" He said. Darkrai's eye wide open, but then he looked down. "Why would you care? I was the one who put you in that nightmare." Darkrai answered. "Pent, lampent pent" Misslu said and Darkrai returned his stare at them, especially to Misslu, stood up, and got closer to them. Then Shadow got in front of Misslu. "Don't dare to get closer!" He demanded. "Oh, you! I'm going to-!" Shadow and Darkrai were interrupted by Misslu who got in middle and with a stare, asked Shadow to calm down. Shadow sighed and gave Darkrai a chance to 'talk' with Misslu. "Lampent lam pent, lam?" In pokemon language Misslu asked: "You really aren't bad, right?".

Darkrai never thought on that, he never made himself that question, but he always thought he was. Every pokemon he knew saw him as a cold hearted villain, but was he really one? Were some of his actions evil because he thought he was evil, just because others thought he was evil? And all because of his awful power of any Darkrai's? Oh, but his was way much powerful, even some pokemon got in this nightmares just by passing besides him, even if he didn't want to. This was why he was feared so much, hated by much, and sealed just for making things worse, and he actually never wanted something of these to happen, he never wanted to harm anyone, nor making them fall into endless nightmare. But now he knew the truth. He wasn't evil, he was misunderstood.

"No, I'm not but what other thinks of me is other thing." Darkrai said with seriousness. It was true, it was other's fault. "Lam, pent lampent lam? / Then, why did you attacked us?" Misslu asked. "Because one of you wanted to humiliate me by throwing a rock at me!" Darkrai said. Shadow and Misslu looked at each other before shaking their heads at Darkrai and his eye wide open again. "Really?" He asked. "Pent" Misslu said nodding, then Darkrai looked embarrassed, mostly when he remembered that the last week, a rock that felled from the roof almost hit him on the head. "Then I guess it was a misunderstanding. I'm really sorry for what happened." He said and Shadow and Misslu nodded, telling that way to Darkrai, that he has been forgiven. Oh, forgiveness! Just as Misslu used to, Darkrai had never been forgiven.

Shadow now thought of Darkrai in a different way. They had more in common than he would ever thought. Then something interrupted his thoughts, he felt again, that feeling that told him to wait in that moment, the unpredictable. "If you allow me, Darkrai, if I were you, I would move from where you are." Shadow said and Darkrai looked, a bit confused, at him. "Why?" He asked. "Lamp! Pent lam." Misslu said, Darkrai looked a bit more confused but did so. Just from a sudden, a medium sized rock got through the roof, by breaking it and landing with force just where Darkrai was standing. The rock revealed itself as a Geodude. Darkrai, Shadow and Misslu where thinking the same: "What the hell?" But no one could even say something before another Geodude felled the same way the last did, and the next time wasn't a Geodude, it was a Graveler! And the worst thing was that the garage was falling apart, Darkrai got out by forming in a shadow and found a space to escape and Shadow and Misslu got out from the main entrance before the building was totally destroyed. Then, they got together in front of the remaining debris. "Darn. That was my living place." Darkrai said while the Geodudes and Gravelers were getting out. Misslu felt shame for him, and got an idea. "Lamp!" He said while pocking Shadow's leg to call his attention. When Shadow turned to see his pokemon, Misslu was glaring at his trainer and best friend, with the same puppy eyes he used when they met. Shadow sighed, he knew Misslu wanted Darkrai to come with them and Shadow really didn't have problem with taking Darkrai with them.

"So, Darkrai, if you want to, you can come with us if you wish" Shadow said, crossing his arms. "Really? But where are you going exactly?" Darkrai asked. "Out of this place, and you could stay with us" Shadow answered. Darkrai couldn't believe it. No one has ever cared about him, less been so nice. But then Darkrai got another question. "But how you plan to get out? I've been trying to break the seal for ages, and it has been useless. Actually, how did you got yourselves in here?" He asked. "Misslu opened by accident a hole on the floor of the city that it's actually over this one" Shadow answered. " How much time have passed, as for the ones of outside to build another city?... Wait a second, you said you made a hole?" Darkrai made another question and Shadow nodded. "That just can mean that the seal has grew weak, but still is strong enough as for the parts we can destroy to stay unharmed, no matter how powerful my attacks, but Shadow; you have showed me, in nothing less than battle, how powerful you are, and if we combine power, we might be able to break free." Darkrai say. Both Shadow and Misslu thought they had at their side a clever pokemon. "Maybe, we really are alike." Shadow thought.

The three of them went to the nearest of the limits, the wall Shadow tried to break earlier. "Ready?" Darkrai asked, Shadow nodded and together, their attack were unstoppable. In minutes the wall seemed to crack and almost an hour of hard team work. The wall broke up in pieces. "Free… Free at last!" Darkrai thought as he saw the exterior after so many ages. His desperation of getting out was so big, that when he finally saw the real world, she rushed out, leaving Shadow and Misslu behind. Misslu looked sad and Shadow knew it was because he wanted Darkrai to be with them, but both Misslu and Shadow knew they must let Darkrai be free, now that actually was.

The night was basically over since both could see the first sunshine from the dawn. "It's been a long night." Shadow said and Misslu nodded as he got on Shadow's shoulder, in his common way. Maybe they couldn't get to the pokepark but that night was a night to remember, but would they see Darkrai ever again? Both were asking the same to themselves just as they were getting on the way to Rouge's house, where Shadow still live but with certain conditions since Rouge didn't like the idea of living with Misslu, mostly that her precious Lya, her very own pokemon and jewel stealer partner, a beautiful Liepard with a diamond necklace, and Misslu fought a lot, but mostly by the thing that in a certain point Rouge started believing that all the bad things that happened at her home, were caused by the bad luck that Misslu had with him.

Suddenly two blue things stopped in front of them. "Hi, Shadow, time without seeing ya and Misslu. Did both had fun at the pokepark tonight?" Sonic asked, he still was wearing some bandages in his arms from his burns. "Oh, so this is Shadow? You didn't told me part of his chest was red" Latios said. "Yes, he is." Sonic answered ignoring a bit Shadow's chest, he thought it wasn't a big thing, by knowing Shadow, and then looked at him, waiting him to answer his question. "Well, not tonight." Shadow answered and now he personally saw that Latios, that was so popular, but as he thought; not the great deal. "Why?" Sonic asked. Shadow didn't answer, he just Hmphed.

"Well, I wanted to ask you something. Eggman recently stole an important tablet, and we don't have an idea what he might be planning now, and less in what he will use that table. So, would you mind helping?" Sonic asked. Shadow really wanted to ask why he should help, but Sonic would just give a speech, and Shadow notice Misslu was really tired. "Yeah, I've heard about it, but I will think of it" He answered and go, leaving Sonic and Latios behind. But then, not too much time passed when Eggman appeared, in his round flying machine. "Hi, Shadow" Eggman said, in a greeting way. "Now what do you want?" Shadow asked, and just what he less need. First Sonic and now Eggman, and in the same day. "Oh, my friend, I have for you an offer for you. I'm in something more than big now. I guess you are wondering what. Well, it's something as powerful that can even alter space and time at the same time. But I would like as much allies as I can before getting deeper in the investigation and I hope I could count with you this time. After all, I would give you a reward for your loyalty after I succeed. I would give you real power. Because, for the moment, I haven't known anyone who as treated the ultimate life form as it really is. Does anyone takes you seriously, Shadow? And your little friend there." Eggman turned to Misslu, who blinked and then yawned, he really looked sleepy. "His misery, of been hated just because superstitions, would stop once and for all and both of you would get all what you ever wanted." Eggman said. It was a tempting offer for Shadow, mostly thinking in Misslu. "I will think about it" Shadow said, just what he answered to Sonic, and continued his was. He had to think about that. Why did he always have to pick a side, couldn't he just be left out at occasions, just leave him in peace?

Then, not too far, another figure reappeared to them, the distinctive dark figure. "Darkrai, what are you doing here?" Shadow asked, he thought he would never see Darkrai again. "After some loneliness time, I remind what you did to me…" Darkrai said but suddenly Misslu fell asleep and Shadow caught him in his arms. After that, Darkrai continued. "So, the point is that I realized that my place is in your side, and I saw your conversations with both of those creatures, the human and the other hedgehog, and I think our side is in the one of the blue hedgehog. Just because I know; I don't know how, but I know we are very alike. With a dark past we had to tolerate and the worst of that darkness is that we were designed that destiny unfairly by others, and just because we were different, misunderstood. But this is a chance; show everyone we aren't what they think we are." Darkrai said. Shadow, was impressed, Darkrai was right about the past and maybe how he felt in the 'society', but maybe he was also right about the chance, so, why not trust him. Shadow nodded to the idea, and went to advice Sonic, Darkrai followed him, now Shadow was his trainer, and friend, someone he could finally trust, and he like the idea that with great power, together nothing would ever dare to get in their way.

Sonic was eyeing a town over a hill, with Latios at his side. "You know what I think it's funny?" Latios asked. "No, tell me!" Sonic answerd. "That if you look that blue house from this point, where that tree is behind, it looks like if the house had afro from the tree of the back and a mustache from the vines that grow around the door." Latios said, laughing a bit. "Oh, really?" Sonic said and checked out; it really looked as if the house had mustache and afro from a certain point of view. "Sonic" Shadow called from behind. Sonic turned and got astonished when he saw Darkrai, who looked really tough, it really was a pokemon that matched Shadow. "Wow, you got a new friend, didn't you? That's good" Sonic said and changed his face of surprise to a smile, he liked the idea of Shadow getting another pokemon, because that only means that he would get another friend, and that is enough hard to say, more to see. "We decided we will help you." Shadow went directly to the point, now he started to feel a bit tired. "That's great. Look, for now I would like to make for me a small favor. Could you go and advice Knuckles that Eggman in his again? We wouldn't like to see an angry echidna saying the Master Emerald was stolen, right?" Sonic said, but he was right, Shadow didn't want to hear Knuckles complaining soon or later and most of times Eggman tries to steal the Master Emerald. So Shadow nodded, accepting the job, but would go to visit Knuckles the next day, he needed a rest, just as Darkrai and Misslu couldn't wait for it, so they headed home and Darkrai was pleasant he could think that, somewhere to belong. Suddenly Misslu woke up a bit, and noticed something on just then noticed something on Shadow's chest. "Lampent lam?" He asked. Shadow perfectly knew he meant: "Wasn't your chest white?" So Shadow answered, looking at Darkrai. "Yes it was."


	3. Knuckles' Infernal Quest

"Come on, Lauren. I know you can do it better! Remember you have to do your best to evolve and get stronger." Knuckles said to his Riolu, as he let her attack him for training. "Rio!" Lauren said, a bit exhausted, trying her best to beat her trainer down, to satisfy him. It was all she wanted to, but it seemed impossible to get evolution. Actually, Lauren has been with Knuckles since she was born, she never meet her real parents. At certain age Knuckles explained her parents died. He just found her mother, who was really hurt and even if he tried to help her, she pledged for him, to just care about their egg. Knuckles raised Lauren, though he thought it would be a male, until she was old enough to go in life by herself, but she didn't want to leave Knuckles. Some affection grew between them in their time together but their relationship was more training than everything. Knuckles took care of Lauren and Lauren helped Knuckles with the guarding of the Master Emerald.

While training, Knuckles didn't attack. He just defended himself and just let Lauren attack. After sometime of training, Lauren sat on the floor, exhausted. Knuckles kneeled next to her, give her a sitrus berry so she could recover energy and then he pet her head.

Meanwhile, Shadow was getting closer, he remembered what he promised to Sonic, and so he was going to make a visit to Knuckles. Darkrai, his new pokemon was just as his side and Misslu, his Lampent, was in his pokeball. But when Darkrai saw Knuckles, his eye wide open, everything that happened to him so long ago, the cause of mostly of his life's suffer, returned to his mind, that memory he has tried to regret, emerged back, filling him with rage and wish of eternal revenge toward the red echidna, it looked just the same. Darkrai thought he was glaring to his sealer, the great hero of red long quills and he couldn't resist, Darkrai had to destroy the echidna.

Knuckles didn't see the first hit from Darkrai and Shadow just noticed Darkrai's sudden reaction. Knuckles was really astonished, he had never seen such a pokemon, less with that power, and it was coming to strike again. Knuckles stood up, ready to take the hit and Lauren was about to defend her trainer but Shadow got in middle first by blocking Darkrai's attack. "Stop it, Darkrai!" He ordered but Darkrai seemed dull. He was absorbed by his wish of revenge. "¡Shadow! ¡¿Do you have something to do with this?!" Knuckles asked a bit mad. Shadow didn't reply; he knew he had to calm down Darkrai first and the only was by battling him. Knuckles realized Shadow was actually in his side, so he went to help him. Lauren also wanted to help when she saw her trainer. "No, Lauren. Stay there." Knuckles said. "¡Ri!" Lauren insisted. "¡Stay there!" Knuckles said, serious and with authority. Lauren looked at Knuckles but then she just sat down and looked down, she couldn't stand to see her trainer fighting and she couldn't help him.

Darkrai just seemed to attack Knuckles, he always tried to evade Shadow and go for the echidna. It took a while for Knuckles and Shadow to get Darkrai enough tired to hit reality back on him. "¿¡Why you get against me, Shadow!? ¡He is my sealer!" Darkrai said with a bit of rage. "You are wrong, Darkrai. Your sealer died thousands of years ago. Don't fight for something worthless." Shadow said. "Hey!" Knuckles reclaimed. "You better shut up! I would rather let Darkrai kill you than help you." Shadow said. "Then why do you help me?" Knuckles asked kind of mad. "I will be back with you in a second." Shadow said; he had to make sure Darkrai had totally calmed down before giving the message to Knuckles.

Darkrai thought for a second of what Shadow had told him and he realized Shadow was right but Knuckles looked just like the sealer and the battle was unavoidable; but after realizing the facts, Darkrai knew he had to control himself in presence of the echidna though he still felt the rage go bouncing on his body. Shadows saw that and shoot a glare to Darkrai, he then looked away, for trying to pretend nothing happened while crossing his arms.

Knuckles looked, a bit amazed how Shadow controlled such a pokemon and then he stepped closer. "I see you got a new pokemon, Shadow. It really fits you." Knuckles said and Lauren noticed she could finally join her trainer now that the dark pokemon calmed down. She stepped just besides Knuckles and he started petting the head of his Riolu as the conversation continued. "Hmph. I'm here for advising you something. Whatever Eggman is planning now, it has to do something with time and space." "Wha?! Egghead is now planning to do something to Dialga and Palkia?" Knuckles said, a bit astonished, just on thinking on Eggman getting the power of the giver of time and master of space, he knew everything would end in something worst than total chaos and destruction. "Probably. So you need to-" Shadow was cut off when Knuckles, was hit from a sudden by a Focus Blast, but he managed to stand still and endure the hit. "That's it!" Knuckles yelled and both he and Shadow looked to where Darkrai was but he wasn't there any longer, he wasn't anywhere!

Suddenly, Darkrai appeared in Knuckles' back and hit him with a dark force, a Feint Attack. Knuckles flew some feet backwards from the hit but he landed in his two feet and charged toward Darkrai; and Darkrai did the same but he charged a powerful Focus Blast. Even though Knuckles managed to avoid the Focus Blast, he will wish he didn't. Everyone glared, to where the Focus Blast was about to hit.

The Master Emerald didn't broke apart in many shards but it flew away, so far away that it even was lost of sight. The most surprising thing was that Misslu was actually standing behind the emerald; he was covering his head when he was almost hit by the emerald, but then looked guilty and surprised when everyone glared at him. Apparently he got out of his pokeball while Shadow tried to establish control between Darkrai and Knuckles. Of course Knuckles believed all the fault was Shadow's pokemon but before he could yell something at the black hedgehog, the entire island began to shake fiercely and it began to fall. It was falling so rapidly that their feet were starting to separate from the island's floor. Shadow quickly grabbed Misslu and Darkrai made a dark circle in middle of the falling and the three of them disappeared in it.

Lauren went to grab Knuckles and he held her closely so Lauren wouldn't get hurt at anytime. Knuckles managed to grab a near tree as the fall became more exaggerated until the Island crashed with the sea. "Are you alright?" Knuckles asked as he let Lauren down. "Rio!" She nodded and then pointed in the direction where the Master Emerald flew away. "Yeah, we need to go for it. I will pack some stuff. You go for the Chaos Emerald." Knuckles said and Lauren went straight to take the Chaos Emerald she and her trainer were keeping in a secret place while Knuckles packed some basic stuff like water and food in a small bag to start their journey to search the Master Emerald.

Knuckles and Lauren followed a trace shown by the Chaos Emerald, to the Master Emerald for two days, their supplies were really low. "I would have never expected that the Master Emerald got so far." Knuckles said; kind of tired as he walked through a rocky path in a mountain chain. He looked as tired as his Riolu and there wasn't any sign of civilization since they started their journey until Lauren noticed a small town a bit longer in the horizon. Lauren tried to call Knuckles' attention as she pointed the small town. "What happens?" Knuckles asked with actually a distracted and a bit sleepy voice. "Rio! Riolu, rio rio rio!" Lauren yelled as she continued pointing. Knuckles finally looked up to where Lauren pointed and got surprised yet relieved to see the small town in middle of nowhere. They hurried up so they could be there before dusk. Even though they got there before the first stars began to appear, there was something shocking going on.

A Dusknoir was attacking a little yellow cat kid who tried to evade the Dusknoir's attack by running to different ruined houses even though they really were just a few, around six houses. The little cat really looked desperate and filled with fear. Knuckles was shocked. Why would such a pokemon attack a kid? But he went from shacked to alarm when soon, the Dusknoir finally hit the boy with a Shadow Ball, he had felled and had no place to go, he was trapped and was his end. "Quick! Use Crunch!" Knuckles ordered and Lauren went, as fast as she could toward the Dusknoir and bit it with great force. The Dusknoir got surprised from the attack but did an Ice Punch to take Lauren off him and then he turned to see the ones who were defending the kid. "Don't dare to get closer to him!" Knuckles told the Dusknoir in advisement. The Dusknoir got this threat very clearly but he already had that boy where always wanted and he just had to distract them for a second so he could finish his job.

Dusknoir's eyes began to glow intensely in red and in that moment, Lauren got confused! She got so confused that she even lost balance and felled down. "Come on, Lauren! Stand up!" Knuckles yelled; he couldn't believe that was happening in that moment, Lauren seemed so confused that even couldn't stand up. The Dusknoir smirked and then returned to see the place where the kid was but he wasn't there anymore! Apparently Knuckles and Lauren weren't the only ones been distracted. He frowned and turned to Knuckles. "Dusknoir! Duskno!" He said as he pointing to Knuckles and then left, deeper to the mountains. "I'm not afraid of you coward!" Knuckles yelled back to the Dusknoir as he saw it leaving and then went to help Lauren. "Are you ok?" Knuckles asked Laure but her eyes were still full of confusion.

"Wow! Very thanks echidna!" A childish voice yelled from behind. Knuckles quickly turned around to see the cat kid, he looked around 12 years old, his eyes were an opaque and a bit dark indigo color, his fur was dark yellow with brown stripes and orange messy hair; and he wore a sleeveless gray shirt that seemed to be torn and just a third part of it was left, brown pants that were a bit ripped but fixed, gloves that looked just as the pants but without being fixed, a green scarf and simple shoes that looked the same as the rest of this kid's outfit.

"Oh, you're welcome but are you ok?" Knuckles asked, also feeling a bit worried about the kid. "Me ok! Pokemon not Ok? I help!" He answered while taking out a Persim Berry from his scarf and gave it to Lauren, but Lauren's confusion was so strong that the cat even had to help her eat it. "Chew, chew… Better feels?" The kid said as Lauren ate the berry. "This kid talks a bit weird" Knuckles thought as he watched them. Soon Laure stood up. "Rio!" She said, thanking the boy. "Welcome you! And sorry me, echidna. Me clearly speak can't! Learn stuff lots still. Understand?" The boy said. "Somewhat." Knuckles answered, feeling a bit unsure. "Awesome! Come! Come!" The kid yelled, full of excitement as he pushed Knuckles in the back somewhere. "Hey! Where are you taking me?" Knuckles asked as he actually let the kid guide him. "Home mine!"

While the small walk, Knuckles analyzed the houses of the small town, they were really small but ruined and the weirdest thing was that there was no one, the entire town really looked deserted, desolated. "Where are the others, little guy?" Knuckles asked. "Others? Others away ran or died. Me alone here. Oh, home!" The kid got in front of the house that was in better state and opened the door but the house from inside still looked really ruined, how could a child live alone in a place like this?

When the dark finally covered the sky, the cat kid have prepared a dinner for Knuckles and Lauren and even put on a fire in the house, for giving them heat, and allowed them to stay the night. "Aren't you going to eat?" Knuckles asked, since the kid wasn't eating and he haven't see him eating in all the time he has being with him. "Oh, me not. Me eat earlier" "Sure?" Knuckles asked, a bit surprised, mostly since the food looked and was so delicious, but the kid nodded looking really sure. "Well, by the way, I don't know your name." Knuckles said; he was interested in making a conversation with that boy while Lauren ate as if there was no tomorrow, he could feel something weird about him, something beyond his way of speaking.

"Junak. People call me used." The cat replied. "So, Junak. Why was that pokemon attacking you?" "Jerk? Jerk's jerk" Junak giggled a bit. "Well, I can guess so, but, exactly why?" "Well, Jerk working big Beast!" Junak answered but Knuckles actually didn't understand the little cat and glared at him, with a bit of confusion. Junak understood Knuckles didn't understand him, so he thought a bit harder how to communicate what was going on. "Uh…, back town, big mountain, actually volcano!" Junak said, pointing a big mountain through a window. "A volcano?! And- and can it explode anytime?" Knuckles asked, really surprised. "Maybe. When big Beast wants, he deep in volcano lives, we Magmaet call him. Wish Magmaet to everyone here destroy. But just remaining me, and Magmaet too lazy. So he Jerk sent… for getting me over."

Knuckles was so astonished that he even didn't know how to react, there was silence, then the boy continued. "Me wants Magmaet face, but me young and weak and alone much too. You me help could?" Junak suddenly asked. "Me? But…" Knuckles hesitated. He wanted and felt he had to help but he knew what must be his priority; to find the Master Emerald. "Please… You hero truly, strong enough to Magmaet face and win…" Junak started making huge and sad puppy eyes. "I'm- I'm sorry, Junak. I must find something. That's why I came here. It must be around these parts." Knuckles said feeling sorry for Junak. "Searching? What searching for you?" Junak asked. "The Master Emerald." Junak actually looked a bit surprised from Knuckles' answer. "Mean you shining big green rock?" Junak asked and now Knuckles was the surprised one. "Well, yes! That would be the Master Emerald. Where did you see it?" "Days two ago, around, me saw flying shining big green rock, but volcano near actually landed. Me wanted went see rock but me near it, Magmaet rock in took. Me do nothing could. Sorry." "But you mean the Master Emerald is right now in that volcano?!" Knuckles asked but Junak nodded right away. So Knuckles would have to face that monster after all. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day." He whispered. "Knows I. Should then sleep you now."Junak then pointed to a straw bed in a corner. "Yeah, good night then." Knuckles said, picking up Lauren who was already sleep on the table with a half eaten berry on her paw and went straight to the bed and tried to sleep. "Night." Junak said and Knuckles soon felled deeply asleep.

The next day, Junak made breakfast for Knuckles and Lauren and just after that they went directly to the volcano, leaving Junak in the town, he had said he had to stay. The heat surrounded even near external areas of the volcano, they were going to get in trough a cave, but when they were about to get in the same Dusknoir that was attacking Junak yesterday got to block their way. "Noir!" He yelled; it was a clear sign that he wanted Knuckles and Lauren to leave. Lauren stood a bit forward and started a conversation with the Dusknoir. She knew it was better to not fight Dusknoir, since they will have to fight Magmaet later.

(Translating Pokemon: on)

"Please, let us pass!" Lauren said. "No! You don't have an idea of what you are doing! Return where you come from now!" The Dusknoir replied. "We can't, not until we get the Master Emerald back!" "Don't you see? You are being fooled! You are helping a monster! If you dare to enter, you shall never return! Now go or I will make you go! This is my last advice!" The Dusknoir had said. Lauren was a bit confused with the words of the Dusknoir, but she knew she and Knuckles had a mission and that they were powerful enough as for accomplish it with glory and return home safe.

"How can we trust you? You are the monster! You tried to murder Junak yesterday after all. Then, besides me it's Knuckles, powerful guardian of the Master Emerald, my trainer and master. Together we can beat any obstacle and defeat everyone! Even you! We are not afraid of you!"

(Translating Pokemon: off)

Dusknoir's eye filled with rage and charged upon both Knuckles and Lauren with a Shadow Punch ready. Both Knuckles and Lauren evaded the attack since the Dusknoir was focused on a middle point, trying to hit both. Knuckles knew that the only move that would work against Dusknoir would be Crunch, but there was another move that would make everything work. "Foresight!" He yelled. Lauren focused some aura in her paws and a big area got covered by some sort of energy, but when Lauren finished the Foresight, the Dusknoir reached to hit her with a Shadow Punch. Lauren managed to endure the hit well and stood up in her feet. "Force Palm!" Lauren moved quickly and let a powerful beam of energy get out of her paw and hit Dusknoir with great precision, but the most amazing thing was that he also got paralysis!

Dusknoir couldn't move with the speed it needed to hit Lauren with its punching moves, so he started attacking with Shadow Balls. Lauren evaded several Shadow Balls by moving in circle around Dusknoir, even Knuckles almost got hit a pair of times, but in some minutes, the Dusknoir started to get tired and its attack weaker. "Now! Crunch and then use Brick Break!" knuckles ordered and taking the chance, Lauren chomped Dusknoir and when he tried to punch Lauren off him, she jumped to evade and finish Dusknoir who then fainted over the rocky ground. "Rio!" Lauren said in victory but panting a bit. "It wasn't really hard, right?" Knuckles said and messed a bit more Lauren's hair as a nice gesture. Lauren actually thought for a second but then answered in a cheerful but also tired-looking way. "Good, then let's get the Master Emerald back." Knuckles said and both entered the cave. Behind, Dusknoir woke up a bit but was too weak to move. "I failed… There goes another victim…" He thought and tried to stand up, but it was useless.

Inside the cave, the temperature was more infernal than Knuckles would have ever thought. Even some of the walls let poring magma out and made a micro river of magma in the sides of the cave, making the only light they could have. Several minutes passed by and there was still not even a sign of at least a living form, it was just too weird; that place would be a perfect home for fire-type pokemon.

The heat and fatigue started to affect Lauren, in sometime she started feeling just too weak. "Rio…" She said in an almost vanquished voice before collapsing on the ground. A frying sound was heard when she was lying on the floor from her evaporating sweat. She actually tried to stand up and keep walking since the floor was really hot, anyway she had, seemed like hell. Knuckles looked at her and then picked her up in his arms; he couldn't stand watching her that way.

"Rio…" Lauren said trying to get off of Knuckles' arms, but he didn't allow her that. "No, it's too much for you; besides, we still need to face that monster Magmaet." Knuckles said as he continued the way. In a pair of minutes, they finally reached somewhere, a giant chamber with a giant magma lake, and at the other side of the lake, there it was… The Master Emerald! "There it is! Now we can get out of this hell!" Knuckles yelled in excitement, he really was anxious to get out of that infernal heat. He started to run, still holding Lauren on his arms, around the lake but he didn't even get to the middle point when the earth started to shiver with great force and pillars of magma rose from the lake. A great roar spread through the cave in echo as a four-legged creature of magma with iron face and legs emerged from the lake pouring magma from its body. "HEEE!" It roared once more.

"Magmaet? Are you Magmaet?! But you are nothing more than a huge and ugly lizard!" Knuckles said, at the start he thought Magmaet would be like an enormous tough-looking monster of deadly fire with big fangs and claws, but now it seemed like a joke that this Heatran was that terrible monster but he realized how seriously deadly was that Heatran when a second after Magmaet launched at them a Heat Wave attack. The bright red wave of fire looked like a large spear and Knuckles just made it to evade it, almost falling to the lake of magma. "Wow! That was really close!" But he got even more surprised when he looked back to where the attack have hit and saw a light cape of the wall being melted down. "That could have killed us!" He thought astonished.

"RIO!" Lauren yelled. Magmaet released another Heat Wave; Knuckles just made to avoid it but a bit of its tail got burnt. "Ahhh! It burns! IT BURNS!" Knuckles yelled as he ran around trying to cool down its tail. "RIOLU!" Lauren yelled again to advice another Heat Wave was coming. The pain in knuckles' tail got out of his mind when he got the signal and managed to evade again going behind a big rock and placed Lauren gently on the floor. "Now, stay here!" Knuckles said really serious. "Ri?! Riolu riolu rio!" Lauren said angry, she wouldn't let Knuckles, her beloved trainer and master to fight this dangerous battle alone, less have to see how that happens and do nothing. "Stay HERE! I MEAN IT!" Knuckles answered roughly. Lauren's eyes grew bright in tears, and then she looked away.

Knuckles sighed; he knew it would be better if he faced Magmaet alone. He was about to go and face Magmaet, since he was tired of just evading, but another Heat Wave hit the rock, and even it was able to resist the heat that made around them felt like a pledge of death. "What's the matter with that Heatran?! Is that the only move it knows?!" Knuckles waited to the move to pass by but in that place seconds seemed like hours. When the time came, Knuckles did a great jump and punched Magmaet on he's hard forehead, it was one of the hardest things Knuckles have ever hit. Even though, Magmaet stepped backwards feeling a bit dizzy. Knuckles took the chance and punched Magmaet several times, in every hit he made was in a different angle for preventing giving the chance to Magmaet to counter.

Lauren glared from behind the rock as Knuckles battle Magmaet, she knew her trainer had the advantage of been faster than Magmaet and he was doing really well but she couldn't stop feeling worried about him, any wrong move and Knuckles would die, either on Magmaet's feet or in the magma lake; all would be a burning death in there.

"You don't seem that mighty now, right?! You shall pay for all the live you took, all the disaster you caused and will return the Master Emerald!" Knuckles yelled and gave his last hit. Even if Magmaet had hard skin, Knuckles thought that was enough thrashing. Magmaet fell in front of Knuckles' feet, who then looked closer at the Heatran to confirm its victory and then looked back, to see if Lauren was alright. "Hey! We did it!" Knuckles yelled with joy at Lauren who then smiled to Knuckles.

Just from a sudden and in a quick move, Magmaet stood up and hit Knuckles in the back with a Flash Cannon making him fly until he hit the wall fissures cracks to appear in it. "Ri-!" Lauren said and was about to go and help Knuckles. "Stay there!" He yelled and stood up groaning with bits of pain. He got really surprised when he didn't saw Magmaet and quickly looked around searching for him. "You're nothing more than a darn ugly and cowardly pest! Get out! I'm not afraid of you!"

Magmaet glared at Knuckles from the high roof. Magmaet have faced many trainers and their pokemon through the ages but this was the first time he just directly faced a trainer while its pokemon just stared, but it wouldn't make any difference; Magmaet thought that if he defeated so many challengers in all his live, this won't be the first one! Magmaet recognized Knuckles was a harsh opponent but he had a plan for him, a plan he has used a pair of times and never failed! Magmaet looked closely at the roof to make sure it was s right spot and then used Earth Power.

The roof cracked as few magma poured to the ground. Knuckles could just get to hear it but he couldn't react on time when giant shards of the roof fell on him. He survived! But even if he was alive he could hardly breathe since some of the rocks where crushing his chest and there were few and little fissures where he could get some air and there was no fissure he could see through. He could die any second! Not just for the air but also because of the heat; the rocks were almost as hot as coal plus the heat of the room, Knuckles could almost see red in the rocks.

Magmaet jumped and landed in front of Knuckles' stone prison making a big sound of crushing metal. He knew that the heart of his victim still pumped blood, so he prepared another Heat Wave attack, to turn Knuckles' stone prison to grave by making him die in the pain of fire.

Magmaet was ready; the red burning heat could be seen getting out of its mouth. It was the end! Even if Knuckles couldn't see it. Just like a miracle light, a beam hit Magmaet; a Force Palm from Lauren made the beast move backward and fell into the magma lake. She wasted no time and rushed to the mount of rocks that imprisoned Knuckles and tried to get some off him. Knuckles could hear Lauren and what she was trying to do. "No! You need to take down Magmaet first!" Knuckles yelled so Lauren could hear him. "Ri riolu?!" Lauren said worried and kind of freaking out just before the roar of Magmaet spread and Lauren's heart filled with fear when she turned to see Magmaet was coming.

"Don't worry about me! I can get out of this but you need to fight that thing alone! Hurry!" Knuckles said with desperation since he heard Magmaet's approaching. Lauren gulped as she stood up, then she took a deep breath for trying to calm herself, and finally, when Magmaet was just a few meters away, she used again her Force Palm to force it to move a bit backward and have a better chance to hit and keep it away from Knuckles. Lauren managed to jump over Magmaet and hit him with a Brick Break. Magmaet received the damage but just after that move he had the chance and hit Lauren with a Flash Cannon, making her be the one going backwards and used Earth Power when she lost balance. Lauren stood up and attacked back as bravely as she could. Magmaet growled and got mad in a way it actually looked funny, but that wasn't the time to notice that, Lauren Knew this might be the most important battle in her life, where the prize would be staying alive.

The battle was rough. The sound of hard fists on heavy metal stood in the room as the bubbles of magma emerged from the bottom of the lake. When Lauren seemed to have an advantage Magmaet managed to inflict damage to her and so on. At a point, when the two pokemon seemed to be really weak, a Force Palm of Lauren and a Flash Cannon of Magmaet hit the pokemon at the same time. Both got a critical hit and ended in opposite parts of the chamber about to faint; it seemed as just one hit would be enough to finish with the other. Magmaet got paralyzed but still, he tried to get to Lauren, even if he could hardly move. Lauren stood lying on the floor; she didn't mind any longer the burning feeling, but deep in mind, something else disturb her. Something that made her eyes to cover in tears and her body with an intense aura.

"No! I can't do it!" Knuckles suddenly felt an enemy around him and heard in his head a female voice, a voice he had never heard but was sure who was. "It's not true Lauren! You can show that monster a real but kicking! I believe in you!" He replied on his mind since he couldn't yell to make Lauren hear him. "You lie! You never let me battle with you against tough enemies and always leave me apart! I know I'm not as strong as the Lucario that you expect for me to be, but I have always tried to get stronger, hiding pain many times to show you I was up for anything…" "Hear Lauren. I feel really sorry for that. I know I upset you when I don't let you battle, but is because I want to protect you!" Knuckles said but he could feel in Lauren's aura that she still wasn't convinced.

"Lauren, it isn't because I think you're weak the reason I sometimes don't let you fight. The real reason is that I wouldn't stand losing you! You are the best friend a guardian can ask for! You stay at my side all the time, even if that means to stay at the same place all the day all the days; you cheer me up when I need it and help me with my duty! And besides you are loyal and honest! If I lost you, I might never forgive me. Lauren, I know you very well! I know what are your likes and dislikes; and I know how strong you are and I'm proud of you!" Knuckles said. Lauren stood up still crying a bit. In that moment where their auras combined, Lauren could feel that from the deepest part of Knuckles' soul, he was telling the truth! "Really…?" She asked as she looked where Magmaet was and felt a bit relief to notice she was out of the monster's range. "But of course! I've always been proud of you and always will, not only because the strong you are, but also because you are a great pokemon and have a right soul."

Lauren nodded. She stopped crying and a wide smile appeared in her face; a new energy filled her body, an energy she needed to go on. Magmaet got as close as he need and prepared his final attack. Lauren have never felt anything like that before, the energy in her was so strong that she could feel it getting out of her body, making her shine with great intensity, and dared to do something she had never done before but knew there would be a day she would be able to, he didn't care if she still wasn't a Lucario. She put her hands together and let her aura flow to them. The aura in them soon started to get the shape of a sphere and as she also her body started to take another shape, she was evolving! Just before Lauren finished evolving, she used threw the Aura Sphere toward Magmaet . He was just launching his Heath Wave but the Aura Sphere just got through it and hit Magmaet just in his mouth, he flew a until he hit the wall and felled fainted on the ground. Magmaet was finally defeated.

Lauren knew she had won and rushed to the pile of rocks that still had Knuckles prisoner. She moved out many rocks and crushed many others until she got to spot Knuckles. "Lauren … Is that really you?!" Knuckles asked astonished as Lauren helped him to get out but the first thing Lauren did was to hug Knuckles and he hugged back, both him and Lauren felt a bit weird because Lauren was now like Knuckles' size. "I was so afraid of dying here!" Knuckles still heard the voice in his head. "It's ok… I knew you would show that thing who rules." Knuckles said proudly. "Thanks Knuckles." "But why are you thanking me?" "For being such a great friend…" Knuckles smiled but from a sudden they both heard a noise at the back. "This isn't over yet…" Knuckles said.

Magmaet moved a bit on the ground but he still was knocked out. "What will we do with him? We can't kill him!" Lauren said. "No, we can't. It wouldn't be the right thing to do besides that this pokemon seems to be too hard to kill. But we neither can leave it here…." Knuckles thought for a second and could just get one single idea. "We are taking him with us." Knuckles said firmly. "What?!" Lauren said really surprised. "Can you think on something better? Besides, that way we can make sure he stops being this destructive." Lauren thought for a moment, she knew her trainer was right, so she smiled and nodded to him. "And we could teach him the road of good." "That's also a good idea."

Magmaet woke from a sudden and managed to stand up, he frowned and growled but he was too weak to fight. "Oh, it's good you woke up. Listen up; you're coming with us, either the good or the bad way. You choose." Knuckles said firmly and confident to Magmaet, who just answered with a great roar. "As you wish. Lauren, use Aura Sphere." Lauren started to concentrate her aura in her hands. Magmaet's eyes wide open and then he frowned and growled a bit more before starting to walk. "Good, keep moving." Knuckles said to Magmaet and then got closer to Lauren and whispered. "Hey, watch him; I'm going for the Master Emerald. I really can't wait to get out of this hell." Knuckles said and went running to grab the great Master Emerald that took him and Lauren a great work to recover as she escorted Magmaet to the exit. It was a great relief for Knuckles and Lauren when they touched the cool air of the outside but now they will return to the town to tell Junak about what would they do with Magmaet. It was hard to keep Magmaet moving, he was really stubborn, but after pushing, in both ways of its meaning, he started to cooperate a bit.

When they got to the town, Junak was sitting over a wooden box singing a song which lyrics were in other language, but the bad thing wasn't that it was in other language, it was that Junak sang it with a really sad tone. Knuckles felt a bit of shame for that lonely little and now sad cat, so he hoped to bring him the new that he might be expecting. "Hey, Junak!" Knuckles yelled to call his attention. Junak stopped just when he heard Knuckles and his eyes wide open, he really looked surprised. "E-echid-dna?" Junak's voice sounded frozen as he turned to look astonished at the red echidna, but the he smiled, jumped from the box and ran to Knuckles. "Echidna! Live yo-!" Junak was saying but he stopped when he saw Magmaet behind Knuckles and his face filled with fear. "GAH! MAGMAET!" Junak screamed and made two steps backward before tripping with his own feet; he really looked surprised and scared of being so close that enemy that caused all that damaged to his town and people. Magmaet growled at him but Lauren made him an advertisement.

Knuckles leave the Master Emerald besides to try to calm down Junak. "It's ok! You don't have to be afraid, he can't hurt you anymore." Knuckles had said but Junak looked speechless and really confused. "Look,..." Knuckles started as he helped Junak to stand up. "… I am going to take Magmaet far away with me, so he won't be able to bother you anymore." Knuckles said but still Junak couldn't believe it. "Serious?" He asked and Knuckles just nodded.

Junak couldn't believe it at all but he knew it wasn't a lie, an illusion, or a dream when he felt a soft hit in his soul that made him feel really light. He shook his head as tears began to fall through his eyes. "Nir du grat..." He said softly. Knuckles was really surprised. Why wouldn't Junak believe him? "But-!" Just from a sudden Junak slammed Knuckles in a hug and cryied with even more strength than before. "Questna! Huste questna!" Junak said in a loud and tear full voice. Knuckles got a bit alarmed, mostly when he realized Junak's body suddenly glowed with a soft light. "Junak, what's going on!?" Knuckles tried to grab Junak's shoulder but his heart almost freezes when he realized he couldn't because his hand just got through Junak's shoulder. "Echidna. Thank you! Grateful forever!" Junak continued crying but Knuckles got more desperate since the glow of Junak was becoming brighter. "What- what's happening to you?!" Knuckles tried to grab Junak from his arms and even tried to touch his head but he realized he could just touch his clothing. Junak released Knuckles and moved a bit backward. Knuckles couldn't believe when he saw the little kid; his feet and half of his legs were missing and the rest of his was disappearing too! But in Junak's face there was a great smile and for first time, in his eyes there was some shine. "Your body Junak!" Knuckles said speechless. Junak was consuming quickly, half of his was already gone. "Me Ok... Never better happier and joyful. Never forget you Echidna, me people or I. I tell will them. Goodbye. Wish me better you thank..." Junak said softly before disappearing at all and his clothing and his last tear fell to the ground.

Knuckles got closer where Junak once stood. "But... What the...?" Knuckles said confused as he glared at the clothes in the ground. "He just... vanished... from a sudden!" Lauren said, also with confusion and really surprised. Magmaet nodded but no one noticed him in that moment. "Did I say something wrong?" Knuckles asked looking at Lauren but she just shrugged at him. Knuckles picked up the green scarf that actually lay over the other cloth. "This can't be!" He thought as he looked at the scarf that had a weird golden symbol in a hidden corner in his hand. "Junak!" He called out but there was just echo followed by silence. "He's gone..." Lauren whispered. Knuckles nodded. "And we should go too."

Before leaving at all, Knuckles went to Junak's house to get his bag while Lauren watched Magmaet and the Master Emerald really closely. Knuckles made sure to carry enough supplies for the entire journey of two days back to Angel Island. Everything was ready but before closing his bag, Knuckles looked once more to Junak's green scarf. He didn't really know what to do with it, but he had a weird feeling, something that had to do with Junak, so he finally decided to take it with him, he sighed and muttered. "I don't know why I am taking this." He put it in the bag for finally closing it. "Ok, we are leaving!" Knuckles got out of the house and he saw Magmaet and Lauren at the middle of the town, they were glaring each other with deadly looks. "He!" Magmaet said and sat on the ground, refusing to move. "And here we go again." Lauren and Knuckles tried again to make Magmaet move, they used the same techniques they used for making Magmaet move from the start, it took them a bit of time to get him out of the town and it turned out that it was easier with food than with the pushing methods.

Now Magmaet was cooperating, but just a few meters away from the town, Knuckles started to hear a very familiar voice, he couldn't believe he was hearing that voice but he went a bit faster to verify. When Knuckles turned in a rock he saw no other than Silver the Hedgehog, who was talking with his Candice, his Froslass who was wearing a beautiful flower broach in her head. "But don't you think he's too big for you?" Silver was asking Candice, and then he turned his head to where Knuckles was. He got to see him so he just got closer.

"Hi Knuckles! What happened to you?" Silver asked since Knuckles' body was full of bruises, some cuts, and most of his fur was burned up. "It's a long story." Knuckles answered and just then Lauren appeared with Magmaet behind Knuckles. "MAGMAET?!" Silver yelled with surprise and fear and Candice got in front of his trainer in a defending position, but she also looked afraid. Magmaet's eyes wide open and also did his mouth for launching an attack to Silver. Lauren hit Magmaet from his forehead for not just warning him to calm down, but also for closing its mouth and preventing it to attack. "Lucario!" She said in a really threatening voice and made him a really deadly glare. Magmaet answered also with a deadly glare and growled. "What are you doing with Magmaet?!" Silver asked still really surprised. "Wait a second. You know him, Silver?" "Of course! He had tried to kill me, Candice, and Joseph more than twice!" Silver answered in an exclaiming tone. "Joseph? Who the hell is Joseph?" Knuckles asked; the truth was that both he and Silver were really confused.

"Fro!" Candice suddenly said with excitement and approached a big rock, and behind that rock the Dusknoir appeared. "Dus..." He said softly when he saw Candice and grabbed her hands gently. Both Knuckles and Silver looked at the scene. "He is Candice's boyfriend as you can see. I really can't get her about that." Silver said but Knuckles couldn't believe it at all. "Silver! That thing tried to kill me, Lauren and a kid! A hopeless kid!" Knuckles said madly. "A kid? You mean Junak?" Knuckles' eyes wide open. How much can Silver know from this?! "You also know him?!"

Silver nodded a bit sadly. "But Knuckles, that kid is evil and really dangerous! He has killed hundreds, maybe even thousands of mobians and pokemon in the last two thousand years!" Silver said with a bit of bitter sorrow in his voice. "But that's impossible! He doesn't even look that old!" "I know! But Junak isn't a kid. He died when he was round twelve years old. He's a ghost, I'm not sure if you could realize you can't touch him, but maybe you realized he didn't eat, sleep, or do things like that and still look alright." Silver explained, Knuckles nodded, he indeed had realized all that weird stuff in Junak; things were getting clear. "That's why Joseph seemed to attack him, he actually wants to return Junak to the world of death but he always resists so Joseph sometimes needs to go to extremes to have the chance of getting him. It's really important to make him go to the world of death or many others will have to go there instead of him." Silver make it sound as if it were too important and indeed was! But there's still one confusing thing in Knuckles' head. "Ok, I get the thing that Junak is a ghost, but if he can't even touch someone, how can he be so dangerous?" "He acts nice and innocent but it's just for fooling its victims and convinces them to face that monster you are with. I guess you managed to beat him! Knuckles, you are amazing! But how you manage to control him?" Silver asked a bit exalted, he knew that many have tried to get rid of Magmaet for Junak but all died. "Well, it wasn't me, it was Lauren, and she even made it to evolve!" Knuckles answered proudly. "Congratulations, you should be proud of her!" Knuckles nodded, he indeed was; Lauren even saved his life!

Silver looked around, he realized than Candice and Joseph were gone! "They left me behind again." He sighed. "Well, I hope to see you other time Knuckles! Please be careful with Magmaet... Hey, wait for me!" Silver said before starting to run and got lost of sight behind a rock. Knuckles looked back; he couldn't swallow at all what he had just heard about Junak. Did that cat just wanted to kill him? Some things were clear but others not and he could just sigh about it. He then looked forward. An adventure has just ended for him but a longer journey was beginning.

After the two days of walking, they managed to get to Angel Island. A friendship bond was starting to form between Knuckles and Magmaet; he continued resisting and didn't obey Knuckles at all but at least didn't attack all living things it saw. Magmaet explored his new home with Lauren as Knuckles returned the Master Emerald to its place. The island rose again to the skies but there was something wrong, the island couldn't get to its normal altitude. Knuckles realized that so he focused in the Master Emerald to realize what was wrong with it. Knuckles got really alarmed; the Master Emerald was growing weak...


End file.
